9.27.2005

Robotic models

This story is not just about Kate Moss and drugs, it's about an industry that doesn't want that publicity at any cost.'

Especially for static magazine photographs, it would seem like we are rapidly approaching the point where we can use synthetic models instead of human models. And there is a very good chance that humans would find the synthetic models more attractive. See, for example:

The article states: "Taking everything together it can be said that the most attractive face does not exist in reality - they are computed according to certain principles by machines. Having these results in mind it is also not surprising that a model agency from Munich chose 88% artificial faces (14 out of 16 selected faces) for potentially being interesting as a model for the category “beauty”."

Not only will the robots be smarter/stronger/faster, but the robots will be far more attractive than humans as well.

To a large extent this is already true. Every photo you see of a model or celeb in a glossy magazine or movie poster has been run through Photoshop and re-worked. In the movie poster case, the actor's heads are pasted onto somebody else's body.

Right. But there's a big difference between a retouched image (or even a synthetic model, ala Poser) vs. a robotic model. There will be no interest in robo-models unless they exhibit individuality or suprising behaviorial traits. That's the only thing keeping the humans in business... the aspirational qualities of movie stars, actors and models. Who the hell wants to be a robot? Gimmie a break.

If we have convincing and near-ubiquitous virtual reality before we having convincing robots, then I would think that the VR beauty technology would be more interesting to people than the robots. If robots are just grunt workers that work "out there," then there may be no value in making them beautiful.

While it is true that almost every photo you see in a magazine has been touched up (I used to be a photographer), what I think will keep real models and actresses working, especially high fashion, models, is personality.

A robot or virtual woman would have no personality, not likely do anything stupid, valiant, or anything she is not programmed to do.

The public is fascinated by the behaviour of celebrities.

By the way, Anonymous said..."as long as models continue to be willing to blow the art director, photographer, client, etc, the humans will keep their jobs"

I know you are probably joking but that doesn't happen on a set (most of the time) and if you saw most of these women on the street, you wouldn't look twice. What makeup doesn't take care of, Photoshop can. You probably know women a lot more attractive working at your office.